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How to keep your baby safe in the car

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Advice from GateHouse News Service on keeping your vehicles in good condition, saving on gas and tips from national auto columnist Junior Damato. Ready your car for the seasons, get advice for your teen drivers, and get the scoop on new, concept and
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Advice from GateHouse News Service on keeping your vehicles in good condition, saving on gas and tips from national auto columnist Junior Damato. Ready your car for the seasons, get advice for your teen drivers, and get the scoop on new, concept and upcoming makes and models.

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The first days at home with a new baby are full of visits from family and friends, shared joy and special time alone bonding as a family. But soon you'll need to leave the house for trips to the grocery store, doctor's office or even road trips, which requires figuring out how to safely transport your child in the car. Here are some tips to help ensure your travels with children are not only safe, but enjoyable.

Oct. 7, 2013
9:30 a.m.

The first days at home with a new baby are full of visits from family and friends, shared joy and special time alone bonding as a family. But soon you'll need to leave the house for trips to the grocery store, doctor's office or even road trips, which requires figuring out how to safely transport your child in the car. Here are some tips to help ensure your travels with children are not only safe, but enjoyable.

- Car seats: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a rear-facing car seat for the first two years of a child's life. One problem for many parents is buying a car seat that will last their child the entire first two years. Once the car seat is purchased, it should be properly installed and securely fastened in the back seat of the vehicle. Many pediatric clinics, fire departments and other community centers offer installation of car seats by certified child passenger-safety technicians to ensure that the car seat is installed properly. Ask your doctor for a listing of technicians in your community.

- Entertainment: Babies love to interact with adults, so have someone sit next to the baby in the back seat while on road trips to provide entertainment for the child. As the child grows, the entertainment can range from making silly faces to singing songs or playing word games like identifying your baby's nose, ears, chin and tummy.

- Music stimulation: Music helps children develop linguistic and motor skills as they sing along with nursery rhymes, and other infant songs. When you embark on your next journey, bring along a CD or two of your baby's favorite tunes, plug them into the car stereo and sing along for miles.

- For long trips: Babies need to stretch their little legs just like adults do, says blogger Rebecca Woolf of GirlsGoneChild.net. So before departing, remember to map out potential stopping areas. Take advantage of the various rest stops for feeding, changing diapers and a little exercise. Pack a blanket to spread across the grass for some wiggle time before hitting the road.